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The wall isn’t happening because it’s nothing more than a campaign lie and an extension of the electorate’s racism, which, like the wall, has no place in modern

The wall isn’t happening because it’s nothing more than a campaign lie and an extension of the electorate’s racism, which, like the wall, has no place in modern society and is unsustainable in the long-term.

oh_sigh 9y ago
So the wall isn't happening because it is a lie? That isn't a very strong argument.
- failwall 9y ago
  The wall isn’t happening because, among other reasons, 2,000-mile long structures aren’t trivial to build, especially when subject to the whims of the political machine. Have you considered too just how long the thing would take? We’d probably be well into the next administration by the time it even got close.
  - oh_sigh 9y ago
    No one ever argued for a 2000 mile long structure that completely disregards any natural wall that already exists
- failwall 9y ago
  Immigration is a tough issue, and so are xenophobia and racism. But spending tens or hundreds of billions of dollars to build a wall that has countless logistical problems (say goodbye to several migratory species that cross the border; hope none of them are important for the food chain), is just so mind-bogglingly shortsighted and cruel. How many immigrants could we help for that much money? Have Americans so quickly forgotten that, up until rather recently, there was no immigration policy? You could just come to the US to flee whatever terrible life you had before, and nobody asked any questions. I feel incredibly fortunate that my mom’s side came here from Germany well before WWII. I wouldn’t want to prevent anyone else from having a chance to be here.
  - oh_sigh 9y ago
    Why help immigrants that illegally crossed the border? Why not help immigrants who come here legally, and US citizens? To do that you can't keep having the population of medium sized city sneaking into the country every year. And Yes, there was immigration policy, going back hundreds of years. Remember the Chinese exclusion acts? Also, America highly favored not just white Europeans, but a specific type of white North/Western European from the beginning
BjoernKW 9y ago
So was the Iron Curtain. Arguments like that don't necessarily keep governments from embarking on foolish projects. Sustainability in this case also is a question of scale and the particular design and purpose. Both Hadrian's Wall and the Limes lasted for quite some time. Misguided and malevolent as the intent behind that wall may be if completed it quite likely will contribute to keeping people out of the US just as much as the Iron Curtain for some time was a mostly effective tool for keeping people inside certain countries. So, is that wall desirable? No. Is it sustainable? That depends entirely on what resources the American people are willing to commit on its long-term upkeep. Either way, building and maintaining such a wall is a colossal folly because the funds required to do so will of course be lacking for other, probably more beneficial projects. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't happening.

oh_sigh 9y ago

So the wall isn't happening because it is a lie? That isn't a very strong argument.

failwall 9y ago
The wall isn’t happening because, among other reasons, 2,000-mile long structures aren’t trivial to build, especially when subject to the whims of the political machine. Have you considered too just how long the thing would take? We’d probably be well into the next administration by the time it even got close.
- oh_sigh 9y ago
  No one ever argued for a 2000 mile long structure that completely disregards any natural wall that already exists
failwall 9y ago
Immigration is a tough issue, and so are xenophobia and racism. But spending tens or hundreds of billions of dollars to build a wall that has countless logistical problems (say goodbye to several migratory species that cross the border; hope none of them are important for the food chain), is just so mind-bogglingly shortsighted and cruel. How many immigrants could we help for that much money? Have Americans so quickly forgotten that, up until rather recently, there was no immigration policy? You could just come to the US to flee whatever terrible life you had before, and nobody asked any questions. I feel incredibly fortunate that my mom’s side came here from Germany well before WWII. I wouldn’t want to prevent anyone else from having a chance to be here.
- oh_sigh 9y ago
  Why help immigrants that illegally crossed the border? Why not help immigrants who come here legally, and US citizens? To do that you can't keep having the population of medium sized city sneaking into the country every year. And Yes, there was immigration policy, going back hundreds of years. Remember the Chinese exclusion acts? Also, America highly favored not just white Europeans, but a specific type of white North/Western European from the beginning

BjoernKW 9y ago

So was the Iron Curtain. Arguments like that don't necessarily keep governments from embarking on foolish projects. Sustainability in this case also is a question of scale and the particular design and purpose. Both Hadrian's Wall and the Limes lasted for quite some time. Misguided and malevolent as the intent behind that wall may be if completed it quite likely will contribute to keeping people out of the US just as much as the Iron Curtain for some time was a mostly effective tool for keeping people inside certain countries. So, is that wall desirable? No. Is it sustainable? That depends entirely on what resources the American people are willing to commit on its long-term upkeep. Either way, building and maintaining such a wall is a colossal folly because the funds required to do so will of course be lacking for other, probably more beneficial projects. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't happening.